Calgary households to receive green carts in 2017

Green carts, for collection of compostable materials, are scheduled to be delivered to all single family homes in Calgary in 2017 (file)

The success of the City of Calgary’s Green Cart composting pilot project has prompted the city to expand the program to include all single family homes.

Construction of an organics composting facility at the Shepard Landfill is underway and is scheduled to finish in the middle of 2017, The City plans to begin delivering the green bins to all Calgary homes when the facility is up-and-running.

Approximately 8,000 homes in the communities of Abbeydale, Brentwood, Cougar Ridge and Southwood received green carts in the winter of 2012 for collection of food and yard waste. In the first three years of the pilot, the city collected more than 6.5 million kilograms of compostable material and there was a noticeable decrease in garbage collected from the participating neighbourhoods.

The contents of the green bins are collected each week and turned into compost to be used in green spaces and local farms. Black bin collection is reduced to every second week.

For more information on the program, visit City of Calgary Green Cart Frequently Asked Questions.